Apparatus for dispensing handles

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for dispensing from a reel substantially uniform lengths of a continuous series of articles, such as carrying handles consisting of a flexible self-adhesive strip the central part of which, on the adhesive side, is covered by a flexible material leaving uncovered adhesive ends. The apparatus comprises a frame, a freely rotatable reel carrying tee articles and mounted in the frame, a freely rotatable roller mounted in the frame with its axis of rotation parallel to that of the reel and upon which the reel rests and rotates therewith, and a cutting means fixedly mounted in the frame spaced from the roller and parallel thereto. The strip is unwound from the reel, passed round the roller and over the cutting means. As the strip is unwound there will be periods of high resistance, as the adhesive is pulled from the reel, and low resistance, as the covered portion is unwound. The dimensions of the apparatus and strip are such that when high resistance is encountered this indicates that the predetermined length has been unwound.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Vagn Fehrn-Christensen Copenhagen, Denmark [21 Appl. No. 736,678 [22] Filed June 13, 1968 [45] Patented Feb. 2, 1971 [73] Assignee Nordisk Plaster Industri A/S.

Copenhagen, Denmark a corporation of Denmark [32] Priority July 11, 1967 [33] Denmark [31 3561 [54] APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING HANDLES 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 225/10, 225/77 [51] Int. Cl B261 3/02 [50] Field of Search... 225/10, 11, 77, 88, 76; 312/39, 41; 242/552, 55.53

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 389,277 9/1888 Zerr 225/77X 423,745 3/1890 Ehrlich 225/76 424,923 4/1890 Chapman 225/76 476,689 6/1892 Sentman 225/88X 1,239,981 9/1917 St0rm.... 225/77 1,605,030 1 1/1926 Hurley 225/76 2,957,636 10/1960 Lesavoy 312/39X 3,154,232 10/1964 Gage 225/77 Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher ABSTRACT: An apparatus for dispensing from a reel substantially unifonn lengths of a continuous series of articles, such as carrying handles consisting of a flexible self-adhesive strip the central part of which, on the adhesive side, is covered by a flexible material leaving uncovered adhesive ends. The apparatus comprises a frame, a freely rotatable reel carrying the articles and mounted in the frame, a freely rotatable roller mounted in the frame with its axis of rotation parallel to that of the reel and upon which the reel rests and rotates therewith, and a cutting means fixedly mounted in the frame spaced from the roller and parallel thereto. The strip is unwound from the reel, passed round the roller and over the cutting means. As the strip is unwound there will be periods of high resistance, as the adhesive is pulled from the reel, and low resistance, as the covered portion is unwound. The dimensions of the apparatus and strip are such that when high resistance is encountered this indicates that the predetermined length has been unwound.

PATENTEU FEB 2mm INVENTOR VAGN FEHRN-CH'RISTENSEN ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING HANDLES The present invention relates to a procedure for dispensing of self-adhesive handles for carrying objects from a roll wound from a continuous series of handles and an apparatus for the performance of this procedure, or more particularly for the dispensing of handles of the type consisting of a flexible selfadhesive strip, the central part of which is in its whole width covered on the adhesive side with a flexible cover material, whereby the two ends of the strip remain uncovered and still adhesive. By the dispensing the free end of the roll is led from a point of winding off, and a single handle is separated from the continuous series by a transverse division in a predetermined place of division on the strip.

The continuous series of handles is in principle one long flexible self-adhesive strip, on the adhesive surface of which equally long strips of flexible cover material are placed at constant intervals, covering the adhesive strip in its whole width, so that covered and adhesive sections alternate. By transverse division of the adhesive sections single handles of the said type are separated. The place of division, where the transverse division is to be made, is predetennined by the wish of having the transverse division performed in a definite place on the adhesive part in order to obtain the desired length of the uncovered, still adhesive ends of the handle.

For dispensing of handles of the said type dispensers have hitherto been used of the sort made for self-adhesive tape, which in principle consist of a frame in which are mounted a freely rotatable reel drum, on which the reel of adhesive tape is placed, and a tear-off edge by which the wound-off end of the adhesive tape is cut off in the desired length. When used for handles for carrying objects such dispensers have the drawback that owing to varying adhesion between the windings of the reel it is difficult to stop the reeling off of the free end of the strip exactly when a transverse division is to be made. For a reel of self-adhesive handles differs from a reel of self-adhesive tape in that the individual windings of the former only at intervals adhere to one another, since adhesion only occurs where an adhesive section is in contact with the next preceding winding, whereas no adhesion occurs where a covered section is in contact with the next preceding winding. Therefore, when the free end of the reel is carried forward by pulling, the resistance against winding off will vary. Consequently, while an adhesive section is passing the point of winding off, a relatively strong pull must be exerted on the free end of the strip to overcome the resistance against winding off. But at the moment when a covered section reaches the point of winding off, this resistance decreases abruptly, and because one cannot sufiiciently quickly adjust the pull at the free end to correspond to the low resistance occurring now, a considerable length of the free end will be pulled forth quickly. In this way there is a risk of pulling the free end so far out that the place of division passes the tearing off edge, whereby a handle is separated by the transverse division one of the adhesive ends of which will be too long, while one of the adhesive ends of the following handle will be too short.

in the present invention it is just this varying adhesion between the windings of the reel which is utilized, as the pulling out is stopped when the resistance against winding off is again abruptly increased because an adhesive section reaches the point of winding off. But when a dispenser of the type normally used for self-adhesive tape is applied for a reel of handles, another disadvantage presents itself, namely the one that the diameter of the reel is gradually reduced as handles are used, whereby the distance from the winding ofi point of the free end to the tearing off edge is increased, which involves that the place of division will no longer be opposite the tearing off edge at the moment when the pulling out stops.

The procedure according to the present invention is not encumbered with the disadvantages mentioned above. it is characterized in that, in spite of the decreasing diameter of the reel as a consequence of continued use, the winding off point is kept in such a position that the distance from this point to the fixed tearing off poinLmeasured along the path of the free end remains constant; and in that the pulling out of the free end is stopped at the moment when a resistance against winding off arises, because the transition point between a self-adhesive section covered with cover material and the uncovered self-adhesive strip reaches the point of winding off; and in that the fixed tearing off point is placed in such a way that the predetermined place of division is opposite the tearing off point at the same moment mentioned above, after which a single handle is separated by transverse division in the place of division.

The said positioning of the winding off point can be effected in different ways. It is, for example, possible to let a roller remain pressed against or resting on the reel, the center of which is kept fixed, and lead the free end of the strip round this roller, whereby the winding off point comes to lie in the point of contact between the roller and the reel. Gradually as the reel is used, the, roller will move towards the center of the reel, and by giving the curve along which the roller moves a suitable form it can be achieved that the distance from the winding off point to the fixed tearing off point, measured along the path of the free end, remains constant in spite of the decreasing diameter of the reel caused by the use of handles. With a dispenser of the type used for self-adhesive tape this cannot be achieved, as it has no such movable roller.

Instead of letting a movable roller press on or rest on the reel, it is feasible to let the reel rest on a roller whose axis is fixed, and to let the reel be movable in the direction towards the axis of this roller. By such an arrangement it is not only achieved that the winding oiipoint is kept positioned in such a way that the distance mentioned above remains constant, but also that it remains fixed opposite one and the same point on the periphery of the roller.

A preferred procedure according to the present invention is therefore characterized in that the said positioning of the winding off point is achieved by letting the reel rest with its curved surface on a roller and by letting it be freely movable in a straight line in the direction towards the fixed axis of this roller, whereby the point of contact between the reel and the roller remains fixed; and in that the free end of the reel is led round the roller with its nonadhesive side facing the roller, whereby the winding off point will permanently coincide with the said point of contact.

In this way the distance from the winding off point to the fixed tearing ofl' point, measured along the path of the free end, remains constant, independent of the diameter of the reel.

An apparatus according to the present invention for the performance of the procedure described above is characterized in that it consists of a frame, a freely rotatable reel drum for the carrying of the reel of continuous handles, a freely rotatable roller mounted in the frame with its axis of rotation parallel to that of the reel drum, on which roller the reel rests with its curved surface pressed against the roller, as the reel drum is mounted freely movable along grooves in the frame pointing towards the axis of the roller, whereby the point of contact between the reel and the roller remains fixed, and round which roller the free end of the reel is led with its nonadhesive side facing the roller, whereby the said point of contact comes to coincide with the winding off point of the free end; and a cutting off device mounted in the frame in the said fixed tearing off point, by means of which device a single handle can be cut off.

The free end of the reel is pulled out till a resistance occurs because the transition from a section of self-adhesive strip covered with cover material to a section of uncovered self-adhesive strip reaches the winding ofi point. Since the fixed cutting off point is positioned in such a way that the predetermined place of division is opposite the cutting off point at the moment when the pulling out is stopped, a single handle can now be separated by transverse division in the place of division by means of the cutting of? device mounted in the cutting 05 point.

The winding off point is fixed as it coincides with the fixed point of contact between the reel and the roller. Therefore,

the distance from the winding off point to the fixed cutting off point remains constant in spite of the decreasing diameter of the reel caused by the use of handles.

With the apparatus described here it is only possible to dispense handles of one predetermined length. By lengthening the path of the free end by a loop it also becomes ppssible to dispense handles of another and greater length.

A variation of the apparatus according to the invention is therefore characterized in that it is equipped with a guide roller round which-after having passed the said point of contactthe free end of the strip is led with its nonadhesive side facing the guide roller.

In the following will be given a more detailed description of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows the principle of the procedure according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a continuous series of handles for carrying objects,

FIG. 3 shows an apparatus for the perfonnance of the procedure, and

FIG. 4 shows an alternate embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 3.

In FIG. I is seen the circumference l of a reel wound from a continuous series of handles for carrying objects and the circumference 2 of the same reel after some of the handles have been removed, its diameter having then gradually become smaller. The free end 3 of the reel is pulled forth from the winding off point 4 to a fixed cutting off point 5, in which a single handle 6 is separated by transverse division in a predetermined place of division 7. According to the invention the winding off point 4 is kept in such a position that the distance from this point to the fixed cutting off point 5, measured along the path of the free end, remains constant, which is the case when, as shown in FIG. I, the winding ofi' point is kept fixed while the center of the reel moves along a straight line towards the winding off point as the diameter of the reel gradually decreases.

In FIG. 2 is shown a continuous series of handles, which is in principle a long self-adhesive strip composed of a flexible base 8 and a self-adhesive coating 9 anchored to it, the adhesive side of which strip is at constant intervals and in its whole width covered with equally long strips 10 of flexible cover material. In this way covered and adhesive sections come to alternate, and when a transverse division is made in an adhesive section, a single handle is separated. The places of division 7 where the transverse division is to be made are predetermined to be located at a certain distance from the adjoining covered sections. In FIG. 2 they are shown lying just midway between the adjoining covered sections, but there is no reason why one might not in special cases wish to separate handles one adhesive end of which was longer than the other, so that the place of division would be predetermined to be shifted from the center. Often the places of division are marked in some way or other, for example by a transverse line or a transverse perforation, which latter makes the separation of a single handle easier.

In FIG. 1 is shown the stage of the procedure at the moment when the pulling out of the strip is stopped. Immediately before there was but slight resistance against the pull because a section covered with a strip 10 of cover material was passing the winding off point 4. But at the moment when the following uncovered section reaches the winding off point, the resistance against the pull rises abruptly, and according to the invention the pulling out is stopped at this moment. Likewise according to the invention the fixed cutting off point is opposite the place which the place of division 7 has reached at the moment when the pulling out is stopped. In this way it has been achieved that independently of the diameter of the reel the place of division will always be opposite the fixed cutting off point when the transition from covered to adhesive section reaches the winding off point, so that the transverse division can be made in the predetermined place of division.

In FIG. 1 is also seen a roller 12 on which, according to the invention, the reel of handles rests with its curved surface. The free end of the reel is led round the roller with its nonadhesive side facing the roller, whereby the winding off point and the point of contact between the reel and the roller come to coincide as-in order to follow the curve of the roller-the free end must be removed from the reel in the said point of contact.

Likewise according to the invention the reel is freely movable in the direction towards the fixed axis of the roller, whereby the point of contact betweenfthe reel and the roller remains fixed, from which follows that the distance from the winding off point; which coincides with the point of contact, to the fixed cutting ofi point remains constant in spite of the use of handles from the reel and its consequently decreasing diameter.

Instead of letting the roller be fixed and the reel movable it is possible conversely to let the reel be fixed in its center and have a movable roller. However, it must not move in a straight line pointing towards the center of the reel, for then the distance from the point of contact to the fixed cutting off point would change as the reel was gradually used up. But it is obvious that the said distance can be kept constant by letting the center of the roller move along the curved path which is geometrically determined in such a way that the said distance just remains constant.

In FIG. 3 is seen an apparatus according to the invention. Its individual components are mounted in a frame which is here shown as a back plate 13 and a front plate 14, of which latter only a comer is shown. The two plates can be kept together at a certain distance from one another in some way or another. However, the design of the frame forms no part of the invention, as its function is only to keep the other components of the apparatus in their proper positions.

The reel 15 of handles wound on a cylindrical case 16 is fastened on a reel drum 17 by pushing the case in over the drum, which is in principle a cylinder the diameter of which fits tightly to the internal diameter of the case. The design of the reel drum in detail forms no part of the invention as such reel drums are known from, among other things, dispensers for self-adhesive tape. The reel drum is rotatable round pivots 18 which constitute the axis of rotation of the reel drum.

In the frame is mounted a freely rotatable roller 12. whose axis of rotation is parallel to that of the reel drum. The reel 15 rests with its curved surface on the roller, as shown here pressed to it by its own weight and that of the reel drum, but there would be nothing to prevent it from being pressed to the roller in other ways, for example by means of springs, which might be necessary in case of another mutual positioning of the roller and the reel.

The pivots 18 of the reel drum are movable in grooves 20 in the frame. These grooves point towards the axis of the roller. Gradually as handles are taken from the reel, the reel drum will move in the direction of the center of the roller, and the curved surface of the reel will remain in contact with the roller in the same point, whereby the point of contact 21 between the reel and the roller remains fixed.

The free end 3 of the reel is led round the roller 12 with its nonadhesive side facing it. As the free end is pulled out, it will be released from the reel in the point of contact 21, which will thus also be the winding off point.

In the frame is mounted a cutting off device 22, which is here shown as a knifefby which transverse divisions of the continuous series of handles can be made, whereby single handles are separated. The design of the knife forms no part of the invention, in so far as many known forms of such knives can be used. Thus it can have a sharp smooth cutting edge or a serrated cutting edge by which the series of handles can be cut through. In case that the place of division has in advance been weakened by means of a perforation, the cutting edge need not be sharp, as tearing off can then be effected over a smooth edge. On the other hand, it is an important part of the invention that the edge of the knife is placed in the cutting off point,

which is the point opposite which the place of division is situated at the moment when the pulling out of the free end is stopped.

According to the invention the apparatus is used in the way that the free end 3 of the reel of handles is pulled out. passing closely past the cutting device without this latter coming into function. At the same time an adhesive section of the continuous series of handles is wound off, which is effected by overcoming a certain resistance, as the adhesive section sticks to the next preceding winding of the reel. At the moment when the following covered section it) reaches the winding off point, which coincides with the point of contact 21, the resistance against winding off disappears, and winding off is then performed quickly, as one cannot instantaneously adjust the pull to correspond to the reduced resistance.

FIG. 3 represents a moment during this quick winding ofi". But when the next adhesive section reaches the winding off point, great resistance against winding off occurs again, and at that moment one stops the pulling because the predetermined place of division 7 is opposite the cutting off point, i.e. the edge of the knife. The free end is then pressed against this knife and cut through in the place of division, whereby a single handle is separated. The process can now be started over again.

In principle there would be nothing to prevent that the length of the continuous series of handles which could be situated between the winding off point and the cutting off point could contain several handles, but in order not to make the apparatus too long it is most practical that the distance from the winding off point to the cutting off point, measured along the path of the free end, only corresponds to the part of a handle constituted by one free adhesive surface and a covered sectron.

To reduce the length of the apparatus still further a guide roller can be mounted round which the free end can be led, so that it comes to form a loop. in this way it is further achieved that the apparatus can be used for handles of two different lengths, as the guide roller is then used for the longer handles, but not for the shorter.

in lFIG. 4 is shown such a guide roller 23, which is mounted in the frame and is freely rotatable round its axis of rotation 25, which is parallel to the axis of rotation 19 of the roller l2.

In order that the guide roller can serve its purpose it is furthermore placed at the same side of the common tangent of the reel 15 and the roller 12 as the roller itself. From the point of contact a part 24 of the free end is led round the guide roller with its nonadhesive side facing this roller, and then it is led on to the cutting off point, on its way either touching the roller 12 or not doing so, dependent on the placing of the cutting off point. In this way the path of the free end in the apparatus is lengthened.

it is obvious and still within the scope of the invention that the apparatus may be equipped with a number of such guide rollers and thereby become applicable to a number of handles of different lengths. The same may be achieved with one guide roller, provided that it is movable, so that it can be placed in different positions corresponding to different lengths of handies. Finally the same can also be achieved by moving the knife to other positions. Likewise it is obvious that both the procedure and the apparatus according to the invention are applicable to other things than just handles for carrying objects, if only the thing to be dispensed is built up in such a way that adhesive and nonadhesive sections alternate at constant intervals, and moreover that it can be wound into a reel.

I claim:

1. In combination with an annular body composed of a continuous strip nonadhesive on one side and adhesive on the other, said other side having uniform nonadhesive portions equally spaced along the length thereof, said stn'p being spirally wound with the nonadhesive side facing out, an apparatus for dispensing uniform segments of said strip each segment having a central nonadhesive portion and equal adhesive end portions, comprising a drum for carryin thereover said body, a roller, frame means mounting said rol er and drum for free rotation on parallel axes biased toward one another to maintain mutual tangential contact between the outer surface of said body on said drum and said roller at a fixed location and a cutting off device mounted in said frame, said roller defining a path of said tape from said tangential contact to said cutoff device which passes more than around said roller and is equal in length to a portion of a segment of said strip, whereby difference in unwinding tension can be felt to indicate when a complete segment has been dispensed. 

1. In combination with an annular body composed of a continuous strip nonadhesive on one side and adhesive on the other, said other side having uniform nonadhesive portions equally spaced along the length thereof, said strip being spirally wound with the nonadhesive side facing out, an apparatus for dispensing uniform segments of said strip each segment having a central nonadhesive portion and equal adhesive end portions, comprising a drum for carrying thereover said body, a roller, frame means mounting said roller and drum for free rotation on parallel axes biased toward one another to maintain mutual tangential contact between the outer surface of said body on said drum and said roller at a fixed location and a cutting off device mounted in said frame, said roller defining a path of said tape from said tangential contact to said cutoff device which passes more than 180* around said roller and is equal in length to a portion of a segment of said strip, whereby difference in unwinding tension can be felt to indicate when a complete segment has been dispensed. 